Switch mechanism



Aug. 15, 1939. B RADTKE 2,169,287

SWITCH MECHANISI INVENTOR. run Rad fi e 'BY 5M 25%@ HIS ATTORNEY.

Aug. l5, 1939. B RADTKE 2,169,287

SWITCH MECHANISM Filed Aug. 3, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 110 INVENTOR.

runo Radlfie BY 5M gf/Mw? HIS ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 15, 1939 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE SWITCH MECHANISM Illinois Application August 3,

9 Claims.

This invention relates to switch mechanisms of a type especially suited to use with coin controlled apparatus such as vending machines, games, and amusement apparatus.

An object of the invention is the provision of switch mechanism which is compact, rugged, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

A further important object is the provision of a switch mechanism of the snap type which is adapted to be snapped into operating position by a coin control device and to be reset to initial position by mechanism controlled by the switch, and operable so that additional manipulation of the coin control device, after the switch has been set or snapped and before it has been reset, will be ineffective.

Still more particularly stated, it is an object to provide a switch mechanism having a snap switch and a driving member for cooperation with a coin slide device or control, to snap the switch into closed circuit position, and thereafter be ineffective to operate the switch until the latter has been restored to an initial position, and it is an additional object of the invention to provide a novel restoring mechanism cooperable with the above mentioned operating mechanism.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a switch such as described above which is adapted to be operated by the insertion of two or more coins in the coin control.

Additional objects and novel features of construction and operation of the improved switch mechanism disclosed herein will appear in view fof the following detailed description taken together with the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the switch mechanism including motor means controlled thereby;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation similar to Fig. l and showing the switch mechanism in operated position;

Fig. 3 is a horizont-al section taken along the lines 3 3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail of the switch proper and taken along lines 4 4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged top plan view of the motor controlled by the switch, and reset mechan sm thereof, and taken in the direction of line :i of 1;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a mcdiiied form of switch adapted for plural coin operation;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail in elevation, of part of the mechanism of Fig. 6 showing parts 1936, Serial No. 93,954

partially advanced toward completely operated position;

Fig. 8 is similar to Fig. '7, showing the parts in completely operated position preparatory to resetting, While Fig. 9 is a vertical section of the switch assembly taken along the lines 9-9 of Fig. 6.

The improved switch mechanism of my invention as shown in Fig. 1, comprises a mounting plate I2 having an angled end portion I4 secured by screws I6 to the horizontal wall I8 of a cabinet member housing a coin controlled mechanism including the driving motor 20, and a coin-operated device (not shown) having a coin slide 22.

The switching mechanism itself is preferably of the so-called snap action type, and in the embodiment shown for illustrative purposes includes a spring switch 24 having a pair of superposed Contact springs with end portions 26 and 28 in normal circuit closing engagement and secured by an insulating block and screw assembly 30 to the mounting plate I2, and having also a generally elongated switch arm 32, pivoted on the plate I2 as at 34, with a bifurcated insulating member 36 extended from one of its longitudinal extremities, one of the bifurcations 36 normally resting between and separating the contact portions 26 and 28 of switch 24 to open the circuit of the latter, and having a conductive collar 36" on the other bifurcation thereof adapted to be advanced between the contact portions 26 and 28 to close the circuit of switch 24 when the snap mechanism is operated.

Switch arm 32 is provided with an upset lug 38 on one of the longitudinal sides thereof adjacent the bifurcated member 36, and a second upset lug 49 extended laterally of the arm 32 opposite to the lug 38. A pair of stopping pins 42 and 44 are extended upwardly from the mounting plate I2 on either side of the pivoted arm 32 'to limit the movement of the latter.

Also pivoted at 34 over the switch arm 32, is a generally elongated toggle or over-center plate 46 having at one of its longitudinal extremities an upstanding pin 48, and connected intermediate these extremities to pin 45 and radially of the pivot 34, a toggle spring 56 anchored to the mounting plate I2 as at 52, radially of the pivot 34, so as to oscillate the toggle plate about the pivot 34 when the plate 46 is moved by externelly controlled means, with respect to the anchoring point 52 of spring 50 (see also Fig. 2).

In the position of the toggle plate 46 shown in Fig. 1, the uppermost longitudinal extremity is seen to bear against the upstanding lug 4U on arm 32 under the urgence of spring 50, whereas in the operated position of Fig. 2 the toggle plate 45 bears against the upstanding lug 38 on arm 32, likewise under the urgence of spring 59, but the latter being on the opposite side of its dead center position relative to the pivot 34 and the position shown in Fig. 1.

The operating means for the snap mechanism includes an elongated driving arm 54 pivoted as at 56 on the mounting plate i2 and spaced away from the latter by a collar 55, and having an extended arm 58 to which is connected a spring 65 anchored as at 62 to the plate I2, and adapted to hold the arm 54 against a stop pin 64 in plate I2.

The arm 54 has an upstanding lug 66 adjacent the extended arm 58 thereof which is adapted to be engaged by the inner end of the coin slide 22 when the latter is moved inwardly upon deposit of a proper coin, and the extremity 68 of arm 54 opposite pivot 56 is offset toward the plate l2 to bear against the latter and provide for uniform movement of the arm about thev pivot 55.

Pivotally connected between the longitudinal extremities of the arm 54 is a switch operating arm or pawl Ill having a cammed longitudinal edge part ll, and having a notch 'i2 at its free end adapted to engage the pin 48 upon proper inward (clockwise) movement of the driving arm 54, to pivot the toggle plate 46 into and past dead center and snap the switch arm 32 into operated position as shown in Fig. 2.

A reset mechanism adapted to return the switch arm 32 to its initial open circuit or inoperative position upon the completion of a cycle of operation of the mechanism Z controlled by the switch 24, includes a reset arm 'I4 having an angled extension 'i6 and pivoted on the plate l2 at 18 on the opposite side of the switch 24 to the lever or driving arm 54,

Arm i4 has an upstanding lug 13 and a reset pawl 8i! pivoted at 8i at the extremity thereof opposite extension 76, the pawl 8U and arm 'i4 being connected by a spring 84 having its extremities attached respectively at points on the adjacent longitudinal side portions of the pawl and arm, in such manner as to urge the pawl 85 about the pivot 8i toward and against an upstanding lug 'i3 on arm i4 and toward the extended pin 48 on toggle plate 46, so as to bring the notched end portion 85 of the pawl into engagement with this latter pin on toggle plate 45 (counter-clockwise) when the'arm 14 is urged inwardly aboutv pivot' 'I8 (counter-clockwise) under the driving urgence of a driven reset arm 83 pivoted thereto as at 85, intermediate the pivots 8l and 'i8 thereof.

Pawl 8i) also has an upstanding extension or lug 5l adapted to bear against the nose of pawl l when the latter is in its advanced position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and throw the notch 86 in the end of arm 85 out of alignment with the pin 48, the pin 45 on toggle plate 45 being adapted to bear against the cam edge 'H and pawl 'IG under the urgence of spring 5B when the parts Vare moved from the initial position to the dotted line position shown in Fig. l.

The arm 83 is operatively connected with the shaft 95 which is adapted to be reciprocated by the motor 29 and a reciprocatory lever system generally indicated at 92 in Fig. 5. It will be understood that the driving motor and lever system SEE- 92 .does not constitute per se a part of the invention, but is simply included to show one type of mechanism which the novel switch means of the invention is adapted to control. The shaft 90 may well control the reciprocatory movement of a merchandise vending boom in an amusement apparatus such as shown, for example, in U. S. Patent No. 2,019,116, granted to E. E. Collison et a1., on October 29, 1935, and also in the pending application of E, E. Collison et al., Serial No. 19,236, filed May 1, 1935.

As above stated, a principal object of the invention is the provision of means for actuating a switch mechanism by coin slide devices and the like such for example as the device shown in U. S. Patent No. 2,049,597, and adapted to initiate the operation of a desired machine, such as an amusement apparatus, and to prevent further operation of the switching mechanism by the coin slide control until a cycle of operation of the amusement or other device is completed, whereupon the switch is restored to normal open circuit position, And in order to provide such a switching mechanism for use with common forms of coin slides, including those which control a mechanism such as an amusement device by the deposit therein of a plurality of coins, I have provided the modied form of switch shown in Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive. The modified form of switch is identical to the device shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, with the exception that a multiple coin control linkage is included on the mounting plate i2' for interposition between a coin slide 2:2 and the driving arm 54', whereby two reciprocations of the slide 22 are necessary to operate the switch instead of just one as in the case of the device of Figs. l to 5.

This latter linkage or multiple control is particularly shown in Fig. 6 to the right of the lines 9 9, and includes an arcuately shaped driving lever mi) having at one extremity a laterally extended pin E92 and at the opposite extremity a pivot H34 extended from the mounting plate l2', and in addition this member is provided with a pair of substantially opposite oiTset extensions 55, 158 adjacent the pivot |64, with a spring H0 connected at its respective extremities to the mounting plate i2 and the extension E55 so as to urge the lever i90 in a clockwise direction toward slide 22 A link H2 pivoted at H4 to a sidewise extension H on drive-arm 54', has a longitudinal slot HB for slidabie engagement with the pin E52, and serves as a driving connection between lever |59 and arm 54 and also to limit the clockwise pivotal movement oi arm 199 oy abutment of arm 54 with stud 54 in the mounting plate l2.

Extended upwardiy from the bottommost edge of the lever ii is a lug l2il near the pivot |94, and substantially opposite toy the latter lug adjacent the sidewise extension 155 is a second upstanding lug 22, and spaced away from the latter toward the upper extremity of arm |59 is an inwardly depending lug E24 (see Fig. 9).

In addition, lever 55 has mounted thereon a pair of dogs |25, 28 adapted to rotate away from each other about pivots 39, 132. Dog 25 has in one extremity a latching notch H34 adapted to engage a pin 635 extended from mounting plate i2', while dog 128 has a pair of divergent extensions or arms i38 and M9, the latter of which is provided with an upstanding extension or lug 42, the extension and lug 49, 142 being normally positioned just below the inwardly ydepending lug 24 on arm |09.

The two dogs, H26, |28, are each provided with small extensions to which are anchored a pair of springs 144, 146, so disposed relative to the pivots lal, 132 that dog I28 normally has its extension |38 urged against (counter-clockwise) the upstanding lug l22 on lever llll, while the dog V25 is normally urged about its pivot lil toward the pin 36, this latter movement being limited by spring 446 which tends to pull the notched eX- tremity of this dog IZB back (counter-clockwise) toward the lower upstanding lug il.

The remaining part of the switch mechanism including the driving arm 54', the pawl l0', toggle plate 46', switch arm 32 and reset pawl Bil are substantially identical to the corresponding mechanism shown in Figs. l to 5, and function in substantially the saine manner, as will be particularly pointed out in the following description of operation` of both forms of switch mechanism.

Assuming the switch mechanism to be used with a coin slide released by deposit oi a single coin such as is sho-wn in Fig. 1, and assuming the parts to be in full line position as shown therein, the operator or" the amusement or other vending device may deposit a proper coin in the slide 22 and move the latter inwardly to assume the position shown in dotted lines.

The foregoing manipulation of the coin slide 22 will cause its innermost extremity to bear against the upstanding lug lili on driving arm 54 and move the latter inwardly (clockwise) about its pivot 5B and cause the pawl lil to move in a substantially horizontal direction toward the pin 48 on toggle plate 46, and the notched portion 'i2 to engage this pin at approximately the limit of the inward stroke of slide 22, so that when the latter is retracted toward its initial position by the operator or its own spring means, the toggle plate 46 will be pivoted about its pivot 34 in a counter-clockwise direction by a return movement of the driving 54 under urgence ci its tensioned spring B and the corresponding return movement of pawl lil.

As the toggle plate 45 is thus pivoted, the spring 5B thereof will become tensioned and as soon as the toggle plate reaches dead center position respective to its pivot 34 and the pivotal or anchoring point 52 of spring 5B, the toggle plate will be snapped quickly in a further clockwise direction to strike the upstanding lug 38 on switch arm Si, whereby the latter will be pivoted also about 34 to `drive the contact collar S6 wedgingly between the contacts 2S and 23 of the spring switch 24 and thereby complete circuit therebetween to close a circuit, for example, through the motor 26 and thus initiate a cycle of operation for the particular amusement or vending apparatus with which the novel switch mechanism is associated.

The position then occupied by the several operative elements of the switch mechanism at this juncture are shown particularly in Fig. 2, and it should be observed that when the toggle plate 46 is snapped into engagement with lug 33 as described above, the pin 48 thereof is carried into such position that further operation of the driving arm 54 by the coin slide 22 or other means will be entirely ineffective to cause the notch 'l2 in the pawl 'lil to engage this pin, and in any way further eiect toggle plate 45 until the latter is restored to its initial position.

Meanwhile, the motor 2@ having been set into operation, the reciprocatoiry linkage 92 (Fig. 5) will complete a cycle of operation and cause arm 83 to move inwardly, and as a consequence the arm 'i4 will be pivoted about 'i3 toward the right (Fig. 2) and pawl 89 will likewise be moved toward the right .and toward the pin 4S to engage the latter in the notch 8S by means of spring S4, which acts to move the pavvl til and the notch thereof toward the pir 4d upon the return movement of arm 53, whereupon the toggle plate 4@ will be pivoted in a clockwise direction away from the lug 33 back toward the lug the spring Sil being rendered operable to snap the toggle plate into engagement against the lug lil as soon as the pin i5 reaches dead center position. At this juncture switch arm S2 will again be urged against the stopping pin and the insulated arm thereon will again separate the contacts 26, Z8 of switch 24 to break the operating circuit for the motor 2.5i or other controlled apparatus.

Jl/'here it desired to use this novel switching mechanism with a coin control requiring the deposit o two coins, for instance, to release the controlled apparatus for operation the modification shown in Figs. 6 to 9 may be employed the latter will operate as follows:

Assuming the parts to be in the full line position represented in Fig. 6, the operator will deposit the proper coin in the slide 2 and move the latter to the inward limit of its stroke as shown in dotted line,

The latter manipulation oi the coin slide will cause the inner extremity to bear against the depending lug iZf on lever rm Stil, and the latter will move through a part of its full inward stroke into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 6, and it will be observed that the pin i532 will be advanced toward the left in the longitudinal slot MS in arm H2, the latter also being moved about its pivot E64 through a portion of its full stroke into dotted line position as shown in Fig. 6.

rThe latter movement ci lever i will cause the extension or lug 24 thereof to move out of alignment with the slide 222'. However, this latter movement will also bring the upstanding M2 on dog i328 into position for engagement with the inner extremity c'c the slide 2E', while notch S34 in dog i2@ engages p' i i3@ by virtue of the tension of spring IM w ch urges dog in a clockwise sense to lock the arm i t@ in its thus partially advanced position.

Meanwhile the slide 22 will have been returned to its normal position and the operator will insert a second coin and again move the slide inwardly as before, causing the inner extremity to engage the lug and thereafter, during the rem inder of the inward stroke, cause extension i233 of dog |23 to bear against the lug 22 and thus move lever arm Edil the remainder of the distance into its full stroke position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7.

Pin lili? will have reached the limit of its movement in slots i i8 and pivot the arm i l2 into dotted line position. so that the drive arm will correspondingly be pivoted about the point i0 against the tension of spring and cause the pawl to engage on toggle plate 45 and actuate the toggle or snap mechanism, (as

lli

be mounted upon the plate I2', and a driving link 93 therefor may be connected as at 95' to the extension 76 of the arm M', to indicate the number of operations of the switch. Where such provision is made it will be observed that the number of operations of the switch mechanism will be truly indicated regardless of the number of times the coin slide 22' may be operated to procure one cycle of operation of the controlled apparatus, i and in the modification of Fig. l a similar` counter mechanism 9| is shown with a driving connection 93 to extension I6 of arm le, connected as at 95.

The particular description set forth herein for purposes of illustration is not intended as a limitation of the invention, and it will be obvious that modifications of various kinds may be made in the device as shown herein, and I desire to avail myself of all such modications and of any combinations or changes fairly within the spirit of the invention and coming within the scope of the appended claims which I desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, switch operating mechanism including an operating pawl, operating means movable back and forth for reciprocating said pawl, said pawl being movabie a predetermined distance in one direction to @dect operative connection with said switch and movable in opposite direction to actuate the switch, said switch automatically disengaging from said operative connection upon actuation as aforesaid, reciprocable control means arranged to be reciprocated once to move said pawl less than said predetermined distance, means for automatically holding said pawl in the position into which it is moved less than said predetermined distance, dog mechanism cooperable with said operating means and moved thereby into'position to be engaged by said control upon operation thereof subsequent to partial operative movement thereby of said operating pawl for the purpose of effecting movement of said pawl the remainder of said predetermined distance.

2. Switching mechanism for use with a reciprocable slide, said mechanism comprising a snap switch mechanism and operating means therefor arranged for operation by said slide, said operating means including a member movable from a normal position through a predetermined operating movement to operate said snap mechanism and arranged for cooperative engagement with said slide for movement by the latter from normal position through part of its full predetermined operating movement by one operation of the slide, said member having a part positioned by such partial movement for further cooperative engagement with said slide when the iatter is operated a second time whereby to move said member the remainder of the distance through said predetermined operating movement and thus effect operation of said snap switch mechanism, and means arranged to restore said rst-mentioned member to said normal position when the switch has been operated thereby as aforesaid.

3. A switch mechanism for operation by a reciprocable control member, said mechanism including: a switch, a snap mechanism to operate said switch, and an actuating mechanism for said snap mechanism including an actuating member pivotable through a full operating movement to actuate said snap mechanism, said actuating member being constructed and arranged for operative engagement by said reciprocable member for pivoting thereby through part of its full operating movement responsive to one operation thereof, and said actuating member having means positioned by said partial movement for engagement by said reciprocable member upon further reciprocation of the latter so as to move said actuating member an additional amount for completicn of said operating movement to actuate said snap mechanism for operation of said switch.

e. A switch mechanism for operation by a reciprocable control member, said mechanism including: a switch, a snap mechanism to operate said switch, an actuating mechanism for said snap mechanism including a pivoted actuating member oscillable through a predetermined movement to enect actuation of said snap mechanism, said actuating member being arranged for operative engagement by said reciprocable member for pivotal movement thereby through part of said predetermined movement responsive to one reciprocation of said control member, and said actuating member having means positioned by said partial movement for engagement by said reciprocable member upon further reciprocation of the latter so as to effect movement of said actuating member the remaining part of said predetermined movement to actuate said snap mechanism for operation of said switch, and means for resetting said snap mechanism and switch to initial non-operated position, said means including a driven member moved into operative engagement with said snap mechanism when the latter is in operated position as aforesaid to snap said mechanism to non-operated position.

5. In combination, a snap switch, a reciprocable control, an operating pawl and means including a drive member movable back and forth to move said pawl back and forth also so as to actuate said switch, said drive member being movable a predetermined distance in one direction in order to operate said switch by movement in the opposite direction, said drive member being movable less than said' predetermined distance by said control when the latter is reciprccated once, and mechanism cooperable with said drive member and including means movable into a position for operative engagement by said control when the latter is subsequently reciprocated following a previous reciprocation whereby to elect subsequent movement of the drive member the rer mainder of the predetermined distance, and means for moving said drive member in said opposite direction to actuate said switch when the control is reciprocated subsequently as aforesaid, together with means for automatically restoring said switch to an initial condition after each operation thereof by said control.

6. In a control mechanism, the combination of an oscillable snap action member and actuating means therefor including a pair of actuating members arranged for back and forth movement predetermined amounts toward each other and each provided with an operating pawl reciprocated thereby responsive to back and .forth movement thereof, each of said pawls being normally disengaged from operative connection with said oscillable actuating member of the snap mechanism and each of said pawls being movable in a` direction toward the other a predetermined amount to effect operative association with said oscillable actuating member of the snap action member when the latter is in its opposite positions of oscillation., means for moving each ci said actuating members said predetermined amounts in one direction for the purpose aforesaid, and means for moving said actuating members in opposite direction -to restore the same to an initial position.

'7. In combination, a switch and operating mechanism therefor comprising means arranged for movement back and forth to effect operative connection with said switch when the same is in an initial condition to operate the same once for each complete back and forth movement of said means, and a main control member arranged for back and forth movement and cooperating with said operating means to effect movement of the same through a part of one complete operation as aforesaid when said operating control is moved once, and mechanism arranged for coaction with said control member to effect motion of said operating means through the remainder of the movement necessary to effect operation of said switch, when said main control member is moved a second time.

8. In a device of the class described including a switch and a reciprocable control member, operating mechanism including an actuating member arranged for back and forth movement in the direction of reciprocation of said control member, means operatively connecting said actuating member with said switch, said actuating member being arranged and constructed to be moved by said control member, when the same is reciprccated once, to move said actuating member a part of the distance necessary to effect operation of said switch, means for maintaining said actuating member in said partly moved position, and mechanism coacting with said actuating member when the same is partially moved as aforesaid and positioned for operative engagement with said control member for effecting movement of said actuating member the remainder of the distance necessary to eiect operation of said switch when said control member is reciprocated a second time.

9. In a device of the class described including a switch and actuating means therefor arranged for movement a predetermined distance in one direction to effect operative connection with said switch and movable thereafter in an opposite direction to actuate the switch, a reciprocable control member and intermediate mechanism providing operative connection between said control member and said actuating means whereby more than one reciprocation of the control member will be required to effect operation of said switch, said last-mentioned mechanism including a lever pivoted for oscillation in the direction of reciprocation of said control member, and means normally urging the same into initial position for engagement and movement by said control member when the same is moved in one direction, said last-mentioned movement of the lever by the control member being effective to move said actuating means only a part of the necessary distance to establish operative connection with said switch, the distance which said lever is initially moved as aforesaid being determined by the limit of movement of said control member in said particular direction, and means including a dog mounted on said lever and coacting with the latter toy move said dog into position for engagement with said control member when the same is moved a second time in said particular direction to effect movement of the lever and actuating means the remainder of the istance necessary to establish operative connection of the actuating means with said switch, and means for eiiecting restorative movement of said actuating means in an opposite direction to effect operation of the switch as aforesaid.

BRUNO RADTKE. 

